Lou Ridi, a Palestinian American, said his home in the West Bank has been besieged by Israeli settlers for more than a week, leaving him and others in the village “terrified”. Ridi travelled from the United States to visit his home, where his brother has been living. After arriving at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport from Ohio on Monday, he told reporters that he had watched the confrontation remotely for days using security cameras at the property. “I have been watching this live for many days and now it is the second week, I can’t sleep,” Ridi said. “I can’t let the settlers to steal my house while I was watching … so I prefer to be with [my brother] in the house and not stay watching on the security cameras.” Settlers Surround Multiple HomesVerified video shared with ABC News showed groups of settlers surrounding more than one home in the village. People inside the houses said they were unable to leave for several days. The Israeli military, the IDF, has declared the area a “closed military zone” but, according to witnesses and footage, has not dispersed the settlers. Videos also showed soldiers mixing with the settlers outside the Palestinian homes, including scenes of soldiers shaking hands, sharing drinks and praying. Ridi told ABC News last week that watching the events unfold was “terrifying”, after settlers attacked his home. Water Cut ClaimsPalestinian families said they were in a “state of terror”. They accused the settlers of cutting off water lines and preventing them from leaving the area. On Tuesday, Reuters reported filming Ridi confronting the settlers outside his house. The dispute escalated quickly as the two sides exchanged accusations. Picture courtesy of ABC News “You came to make a mess, ha?” an Israeli settler was heard saying in the recording. Ridi responded by saying: “You are a terrorist settler, you are a garbage settler, you know what that means? You stink. Move, move.” Israeli soldiers intervened soon afterwards and the settler moved away from the home. A tent set up near the village houses was taken down, ABC News reported, but settlers continued to enter and leave the area, according to witnesses. IDF, UN And US ResponsesThe confrontation has attracted national and international attention amid wider concern over escalating violence and displacement affecting Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Last week, the IDF issued a statement saying “dozens of illegal structures erected by Israeli civilians have been removed from the area in an effort to curb this serious phenomenon, protect the residents, and maintain public order”. Despite that, after more than a week there appeared to be Israeli settlers still present in the area. On Monday, the United Nations said the siege in Qusra had “eased”, and that food and water had been delivered to trapped families. UN teams also reported that three Palestinian families remained surrounded by a heavy presence of Israeli soldiers and settlers. The events also drew a reaction from Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel. He criticised what he called “Israeli terrorists”, while also saying in a separate comment on social media that “the IDF & Israel Police have gone at our request to remove the Israeli terrorists doing this.” Netanyahu CommentsIsrael’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said settler violence against Palestinians was being carried out by only 150 “juveniles”, despite international criticism of Israel’s policies in the West Bank. Join the discussion? 19 August 2026
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